Breaking isolation: Consciousness-raising as a methodology for academic activism

Abstract

In this essay we argue that one way to combat the depressing creep of the neoliberal university is to recuperate and re-use consciousness raising (CR) in teaching, administration, research, and engagement. Consciousness-raising can be roughly characterised as first, an apprehending of one’s place in a system, and second, feeling inspired to do something about that system. We propose that CR is an especially helpful way to think about our work in contexts where more structural changes to advance social justice agendas appear to have stalled, or even to have taken a step backwards. There may be potential to co-opt the increasing dominance of individualism in our worlds, by revisiting the role that individual reflection and development plays in social change, as conceptualised within CR. Through examples drawn from our own experiences, we demonstrate how CR happens in our day-to-day interactions, reigniting a sense of meaning in our working lives whilst potentially creating ripples of positive change. We thus call not just for revisiting, but also for reconceptualising and reframing CR rooted in feminist and intersectional praxis as a methodology for academic activism in the contemporary business school.

(De)humanization in the business school: Critical reflection on doctoral experiences

“…Also, in revealing personal experiences, members of the business school need to be kept safe, especially for those in marginalized and racialized positions. While the flawed nature of the business school may limit the possibility for true revolutionary praxis, this is a pragmatic entry into the consciousness-raising described by McCarthy and Grosser (2023), where by lifting our awareness of the role we play within the system, our individual reflections can shift our thinking toward constructive social change.…”

“…For doctoral students, this potential is arguably the strongest as we have entire academic careers ahead of us. McCarthy and Grosser (2023) argued that consciousness-raising as a method for academic activism can co-opt the current culture of individualism without adding to an already burdensome academic workload. This is a pragmatic approach, and we would like to add that it seems especially appropriate for early career scholars who do not have the job security, reputation, or power within the academic hierarchy to aim for broad structural change.…”

“…Increasing one's awareness and understanding of social and political issues through sharing personal experiences and discussions is a feminist knowledge-production technique known as consciousness-raising (Auger et al, 2018;Zulfiqar and Prasad, 2021). McCarthy and Grosser (2023) suggest facilitating consciousness-raising as a method for academic activism, to examine one's place within the system and to use reflection as motivation and guide for supporting social change from an individual viewpoint, rather than a systemic perspective. In order to employ consciousness-raising as a tool, it is important to consider different frameworks to facilitate its implementation.…”

“…To understand the lack of humanity within the business school through theory, we turn to Freire in particular because his philosophy, particularly his conceptualization of conscientização (conscientization), has deeply informed consciousness-raising (e.g. McCarthy and Grosser, 2023;Zulfiqar and Prasad, 2021). His concepts of humanization and dehumanization also provide valuable insights and possess the potential to be utilized in various settings that extend beyond their initial context.…”